Ward lees and frederick newton tweed ale



(NoModel.)

W. & J. C. HANCOCK 8v E. SCHOL'ES.

ELASTIG WHEEL TIRE.

No. 605,546. Patented June 14, 1898.

g i mvEN TORS MMC/iam ma@ side of the ribbon and locking means.

UNITED. 1ST `THS PATENT vOF HOLLINVVOOD, ENGLAND, ASSIGN OF TWO-FIFTHSTO JOHN ED,-

VVARD LEES AND FREDERICK NEWTON TYVEEDALE, OF OLDHAM, ENG- 'E I AsTlc yWH EFE-Ly-Ti RE.

SPECIFICATIONform-ing part of Letters Patent No. 605,546, dated June 14,1898.

Applicationlled January 25,1898. Serial No. (567;868. (No model.)

To all whom it may conc/errar Be it known that we, WILLIAM HANCOCK,

ro Our said invention relates to improvements in or connected ywithelastic wheel-tires, and refers particularly to the method of securingthe outer Covers of pneumatic tires.

Previous to our invention it has been pro-V 15 posed'to secure the outercovers of pneumatic tires in position upon the-rim` by means of anencircling extensible flat band or ribbon of steel or other metalormaterial.` The outer cover is formed with thickened edges, which zo aredisposed beneaththe edges of the band,

so that upon the band' being contracted in diameter the cover is firmlygripped between the band and the rim. The difficulty in carrying outsuccessfully this method of secur- -eg ing the covers of pneumatic tireshas been in providing means whereby the encircling band may bereadily;contractedand expanded in diameter, and whichshall also Jirmlysecure the band whencontracted in position, so that 3o it will not creepor vrub against the edges of the cover. The object of our invention isto overcome these defects, and thus enable this method of securing thecovers of pneumatic tires to be successfully carried out.

3 5 Our invention will be more fully understood with reference to theaccompanying sheet of drawings, in Which.-

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a wheel rim and tire in which theouter cover is held 4o in position by means'of an encircling'band orribbon. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the wheel rimand tire, showing our improved method of operating and locking theribbon. Fig. L3 is a plan of the under Fig. 4 shows a plan view of thekey foroperating the locking mechanism. Fig. 5 shows a methodof applyingthe extensible iiat ribbon to a sin gie-tube tire. Fig. 6 indicates incrosssection an arrangement whereby the extensible flat ribbon can beutilized .for securing solid-rubber tires upon the rims of carriage andother vehicle wheels.

lIn carrying our invention into effect we provide each overlapping endof the extensible encircling band a with anut b c. A screwed spindle dengages 'with these nuts Z2 c, one portion ofthe spindle being reducedin diameter, as shown in the drawings. The screwed spindle CZ is formedwith right and left hand screw-threads, so that on revolving the spindlethe twoends of the band a are advanced or; retracted from each other,thus causing the diameterofthe band to be correspondingly contracted orexpanded.

It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the screwed spindleais disposed Within the rim e and below the extensible ribbon a. Tooperate the screwed spindle d, we provide a iiexible connection f, theend of which projects through the rim e and is formed with a nut f. Byrevolving the flexible connection f by means of a key g (shown in planview in Fig. 4) the metallic band @may be readily contracted or expandedin diameter, as required. The thickened edges of the outencover It,inclosing, the air-bag t', are introduced beneathA the edges of theribbon a when the same is expanded. The screwed spindle d, engagingwiththe nuts b c, formed on the under side of the band a, provides apositive locking arrangement for any desired diameter of the band a.screwed spindle d by means of the key g the diameter of the band a maybe reduced, so that it rmly grips the edges of the outer cover h, andboth the band a and the cover h are prevented from slipping round therim, or .creepingl7 We form the cover h with beads h2, which whenresting on the edges of the rim e serve as guides to indicate that theedges of the cover-h'have been placed in position. Theiiexibleconnection f is provided with universal or knuckle joints, Aasshown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to facilitate the expansion andcontraction of `the,metallic band a and to enable the connection f torevolve the screwed spindle from any angle.

FrICiHV/f" By operating the 'NNY L If considered desirable, the screwedspindle d may be provided with a flexible joint at some portion of itslength.

To provide a bearing for the end of the flexible connection f protrudingbeyond the rim e, we slit the rim by means of a suitable tool and form acircular aperture by forcing outward one portion of the rim, while theother portion is forced inward, as shown in Fig. 2. The end of ametallic sleeve j, formed with a half-collarj, is passed through thiscircular opening in the rim e, and the outer end link f of the flexibleconnection f is arranged to be revolved within the sleeve j. This endlink f is formed with an annular' groove f2, with which engage the endsof a spring 7V', partly embracing the sleeve j, the ends projectingthrough holes f2 formed therein. rlhe half-collarj' and spring 7o aredisposed within the rim c, as shown in Fig. 2.

The sleeve j is formed with an external screw-thread, and a n ut Z,engaging therewith, secures the sleeve j to the rim e, the spring 7sabutting between the half-collar 7" and the inner part of the rim, thuspreventing the withdrawal of the sleevej, as will be apparent from aninspection of Fig. 2. The nut Z is cut or recessed, as shown in thedrawings, so that the same may be operated by a suitable tool. Theprotruding link f of the dexible connection f can thus be freelyrevolved within the sleeve by means of the key g, while the ends of thespring k, engaging with thc annular groove f2, formed on the link f',prevent any longitudinal movement of the link A dust or weather cap m isprovided to engage with the screw-thread of the sleeve j and shroud andprotect the protruding end of the link f' of the flexible connection f.A salient advantage in the use of such an extensible ribbon a asdescribed lies in the fact that no special section of rim is required,and the ribbon a may therefore be readily applied to existing rims.

lVe do not confine ourselves to securing the outer covering of apneumatic tire alone, as the retaining-band a and improved means ofoperating the same may be used with a singletube tire where an innerair-bag is dispensed with. To effect this, we propose to sheath themetallic band c within a tube of indiarubber or similar material n, soas to provide a fluid-tight joint as well as a means of retaining thecover in position. The thickened edges of the cover 7L are also inelosedin rubber or similar resilient material h. A duidtight joint between themeeting edges of' the rim e, cover 7L, and band a is thus provided, asindicated in Fig. 5.

Our improved method of securing the covers of pneumatic tires may beapplied to all descriptions of vehicles, such as velocipedes,motor-cars, and other vehicles. XVe wish it, however, to be understoodthat we do not confine ourselves to pneumatic tires, as our inventionmaybe utilized to secure solid-rubber tires, such as are or may bechiefly used in vehicles of a heavy type, as shown in Fig. (5. In thiscase the base of the solid-rubber tire ois formed with turned-in edgeso', which can be sprung open to permit of the insertion of the flatribbon ct. On resuming their normal position the turned-in edges serveto retain the ribbon o..

The ribbon or ring is contracted and expanded by the improved lockingmeans, as already described, the rim p and felly 'q being bored out toaccommodate the flexible connection f. Vhen contracted, the ribbon dfirmly grips the turned-in edges of the solidrubber tire o and maintainsthe tire securely in position upon the rim.

Then using the metallic or other ribbon to secure a solid-rubber tireupon a flat metal hoop or rim of a heavy vehicle, as shown in Fig. G, inorder to prevent the ribbon a and tire o from slipping off the fiat rimp we secure studs r to the rim p, which studs project through slotsformed in the ribbon a and serve to maintain the ribbon a and tire o inposition upon the fiat rim 17. rlhis method is readily applicable toexisting carriage-wheels. `We might also utilize the band a andoperating means to secure pneumatic tires to the rims of existingcarriage-wheels.

XVe declare that what we claim as our iuvention isl. The improved meansfor positively actuating and locking the extensible flexible ribbon cfor securing resilient tires, said means consisting of a screwed spindleformed with right and left hand threads engaging with nuts formed on orsecured to said ribbon ct to which screwed spindle is secured aconnection made fiexible by means of universal joints, the outerprotruding end of the flexible connection being arranged to revolvewithin a sleeve secured to the rim and operated by means of a key so asto revolve the screwed spindle whereby the flexible ribbon a is cxpandedor contracted in diameter for the purposes and substantially as setforth.

2. In combination the ribbon a for securing resilient tires, the nuts l)c formed on or secured to the ribbon a the screwed spindle (l formedwith right and left hand screw-threads engaging with the nuts l) c, theflexible connection f and protruding link f revolving within a sleeve j'secured to the rim c, and dust-cap m arranged and acting in the mannerfor the purposes and substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twowitnesses.

VILLIAM HANCOCK. JOHN CHARLES HANCOCK. EDMONDSON SCHOLFS.

lVitnesses: JOSHUA ENTwisLE, ALFRED YATEs.

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